Desk with easel drawer

ABSTRACT

A desk having a traditional appearance incorporates an easel or workstand for supporting a work piece in a closeable drawer adjacent the work surface of the desk. The easel comprises a folding panel pivotally mounted on edge of a side drawer. The panel pivots from a closed position, wherein the panel is folded into the top of the drawer and the drawer can be closed, to an open position, wherein the panel is upwardly and outwardly inclined so as to be in position to support work on the easel. A rail on the bottom of the easel supports work on the easel. The easel can serve as a writing surface when the easel is closed and the drawer is open. The desk includes a central drawer having a fold-down front panel that serves as a keyboard drawer, and computer accessory storage areas in other portions of the desk.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is based on and claims the benefit of the filingdate of co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No.60/239,668, entitled Desk With Easel Drawer and filed on Oct. 12, 2000by James O. Kelley et al, the disclosure of which is incorporated hereinby reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates to a desk, and more particularly toa desk incorporating an easel or work stand in a drawer.

[0004] Desks often serve a dual purpose of ornamental furniture andfunctional work stations. This is particularly true in the case of desksthat are intended for use in the home and executive offices. Sometimesdesks and computer work stations employed in the home are concealedbehind doors of a cabinet that have the appearance of an armoire or thelike.

[0005] It is also desirable to incorporate other computer functions intoa desk that has an otherwise traditional appearance. Desks may bedesigned to include storage spaces for computer CPU's, keyboards,monitors, and data storage media, for example.

[0006] In order to work on a computer keyboard, it is desirable to havea work stand adjacent to the computer location for supporting materialthat needs to be typed or referenced to in a generally upright, readableposition. Work support stands are common in office environments andusually include a separate component that stands on the surface of thedesk, taking up space and presenting a generally undesirable appearancewhen not in use. It is the object of the present invention to provide aneasel or work stand for use in connection with a desk, particularly adesk adapted for use with a computer, where the easel is integrallymounted in a desk drawer where in it can be opened for use or foldedaway in an unobtrusive way when not in use, without impairing thefunctionality of the drawer.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] In accordance with the present invention, a desk incorporates aneasel or work support for supporting a work piece or the like in aclosable drawer adjacent the work surface of the desk. The easelcomprises a folding plate or panel pivotally mounted on a draweradjacent an operator work position, such that the panel can be pivotedbetween a closed position, wherein the panel is pivoted into the top ofthe drawer and the drawer can be closed, and an open position, whereinthe panel is upwardly and outwardly inclined, so as to be in position tosupport work on the easel. A rail extends outwardly from a lower portionof the panel for supporting a work piece on the easel. A movementcontrol mechanism permits the easel to open and close but stops outwardpivotal movement at a desired rearward inclination that is appropriatefor supporting a work piece on the easel. The upper surface of the easelserves as a writing surface when the easel is closed. The desk canincorporate other features that make the desk particularly suitable as acomputer work station, including a central drawer having a fold-downfront panel that serves as a keyboard drawer, and other storage areas inthe desk serving as concealed areas for supporting computer equipment, aprinter, and storage media.

[0008] These and other features, objects, and benefits of the inventionwill be recognized by one having ordinary skill in the art and by thosewho practice the invention, from the specification, the claims, and thedrawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0009]FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a desk with easel draweraccording to the invention;

[0010]FIG. 2 is a back perspective view thereof;

[0011]FIG. 3 is a side elevational view thereof, the opposing sideelevational view being a mirror image thereof;

[0012]FIG. 4 is another front perspective view thereof, showing thestorage spaces open;

[0013]FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top perspective view thereof, detailingthe easel drawer;

[0014]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 5;

[0015]FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the easel drawer with the easel panelshown in phantom;

[0016]FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII ofFIG. 7 and;

[0017]FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of the desk with the doorsremoved.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Referring to the drawings, a desk 10, shown in FIG. 1, includes atop 12, sides 14, a knee hole portion 16 having inner side panels 17, acenter drawer 18, and side drawer 22, with the side drawer and centerdrawer being positioned on the underside of the desktop and the centerdrawer being positioned above the knee hole opening 16. Doors 24 and 26positioned adjacent sides 14 cover interior storage areas under the sidedrawers. The top of door 24 may be formed to have the appearance of aside drawer front panel 20, in order to balance the appearance of sidedrawer 22 while providing an enlarged interior storage space at the leftside. A back 28 encloses the back of the desk.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 4, the storage area behind door 24 includes adrawer 30 for compact discs or other media and a vertical storage space32 for a tower computer case or the like. If the space is not needed fora computer CPU, the space can include an adjustable shelf 33 (FIG. 9). Afloor 34 is positioned at the bottom of storage space 32. The floor canbe elevated above front trim panel 36 for more easy access to the frontof a computer in the cabinet. A pull-out writing panel 38 is positionedunder the desk top 12 and above door 24.

[0020] Center drawer 18 comprises a fold-down front panel 40 that foldsdown away from side panels 42 to convert the front drawer into akeyboard drawer. The keyboard drawer can have a wrist rest 44 at a frontedge, with the space 46 behind the wrist rest serving for placement of akeyboard.

[0021] The right door 26 covers a storage opening 48 having a pull-outlower drawer 50 slidably mounted in the bottom of the storage area. Aprinter or the like can conveniently be positioned on drawer 50. Anadjustable shelf 51 (FIG. 9) also can be mounted in the storage area.

[0022] Upper drawer 22 includes the easel 52 of the present invention.Easel 52 is shown in a closed position in FIG. 4 and an open position inFIG. 5. Easel 52 comprises a flat rectangular plate or panel 54 mountedon an upper edge of an outer side panel 56 of the drawer by means of ahinge 58. A movement control mechanism 60 mounted on a transverse drawerpanel 62 supports and limits the extent of upward pivotal movement ofthe easel to a slightly outwardly inclined position as shown in FIG. 5.Control mechanism 60 includes an arm 64 pivotally mounted at one end 66to panel 54 and pivotally engaged in a lateral slide member 68 at alower end 70. When opened, end 70 slides to the right hand end of slidemember 68 (FIG. 5 orientation) and holds the easel in the open positionshown. When the easel is closed, end 70 slides to the left hand end ofslide member 68 and permits the easel to close to the flat positionshown in FIG. 4. When closed, the easel encloses the top of the drawerand can be used as a writing surface. When opened, the easel opens theinterior 72 of the drawer, and the underside of the easel can be used tosupport typing copy or other work materials.

[0023] Referring to FIG. 6, slide member 68 comprises an elongated rod74 mounted by brackets 76 to drawer panel 62. The end 70 of member 64 isattached to a collar 78 mounted on rod 74 so as to be slideable alongrod 74 between brackets 76, which serve to stop the collar. Other typesof control devices to control the maximum outward pivotal movement ofeasel panel 54 could be employed.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 6, panel 54 is held in a rearwardly inclinedposition at an illustrated angle of about thirty degrees from a verticalposition. An elongated flange or rail 80 screwed or otherwise attachedto the panel through openings 82 extends outwardly at a bottom side ofthe panel and serves to support papers, books, or other materials in aworking position on the easel. Panel hinge 58 is attached on one side tothe bottom edge of panel 54 and on the other side to the top edge of thedrawer and serves to pivotally mount the easel on the edge of thedrawer.

[0025] The present invention provides a convenient way to incorporate awork supporting easel into a desk in an inconspicuous manner while stillpreserving the functionality of a drawer and providing a level worksurface when the easel is closed.

[0026] It should be understood that the foregoing is merely exemplary ofthe preferred practice of the present invention and that various changesin the arrangements and details of construction of the embodimentsdisclosed herein may be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof the present invention.

I claim:
 1. A desk comprising: a desktop, the desktop having a frontedge and an opposing back edge; opposing first and second side panels,the first and second side panels being spaced apart from one another,the first and second side panels extending generally downward from thedesktop and supporting the desktop above a floor; a drawer, the drawerbeing slidably connected with the desktop, the drawer sliding betweenretracted and extended positions, the drawer having a front end and anopposing back end and a drawer length defined between the opposing frontand back ends, the desktop overlaying substantially the entire length ofthe drawer when the drawer is in the retracted position, the drawerextending away from the desktop to the front end in the extendedposition; a panel, the panel being hinged connected with the drawer, thepanel extending along a portion of the drawer length, the panel hingingbetween closed and open positions, the panel extending generally upwardfrom the first drawer in the open position and defining an easel.
 2. Thedesk defined in claim 1 wherein the panel hinges about a pivot axis andthe pivot axis is generally parallel with the length of the drawer. 3.The desk defined in claim 1 wherein the panel hinges about a pivot axisand the pivot axis defines an included angle with the length of thedrawer.
 4. A desk comprising: a desktop, the desktop having a front edgeand an opposing back edge; opposing first and second side panels, thefirst and second side panels being spaced apart from one another, thefirst and second side panels extending generally downward from thedesktop and supporting the desktop above a floor; a drawer, the drawerbeing slidably connected with the first side panel, the drawer slidingbetween retracted and extended positions, the drawer having a front endand an opposing back end and a drawer length defined between theopposing front and back ends, the drawer being substantially adjacentthe first side panel when the drawer is in the retracted position, thedrawer extending away from the first side panel to the front end in theextended position; a panel, the panel being hinged connected with thedrawer, the panel extending along a portion of the drawer length, thepanel hinging between closed and open positions, the panel extendinggenerally upward from the first drawer in the open position and definingan easel.
 5. The desk defined in claim 4 wherein the panel hinges abouta pivot axis and the pivot axis is generally parallel with the length ofthe drawer.
 6. The desk defined in claim 4 wherein the panel hingesabout a pivot axis and the pivot axis defines an included angle with thelength of the drawer.
 7. A desk comprising: a work surface; a pedestal,the pedestal extending generally downward from the work surface, thepedestal supporting the work surface above a floor; a drawer, the drawerbeing slidably connected with the work surface, the drawer having afront end an opposing back end and a drawer length defined between theopposing front and back ends, the drawer being slidable between aretracted position, generally under the work surface, and an extendedposition, in which the drawer extends outward from the work surface tothe front end; a panel, the panel being hingedly connected with thedrawer, the panel extending along a portion of the drawer length, thepanel hinging between closed and open positions, the panel extendinggenerally upward from the first drawer in the open position and definingan easel.
 8. The desk defined in claim 7 wherein the panel hinges abouta pivot axis and the pivot axis is generally parallel with the length ofthe drawer.
 9. The desk defined in claim 7 wherein the panel hingesabout a pivot axis and the pivot axis defines an included angle with thelength of the drawer.
 10. In a desk having a work surface mounted onsupport members, the improvement comprising an easel mounted in a drawerpositioned under the work surface on one side of an operator workposition, the easel comprising a generally flat panel pivotally mountedon the drawer so as to be movable between a closed position, wherein thepanel is folded into the drawer such that the drawer can be closed, andan open position, wherein the panel extends upwardly so as to be inposition to support a work piece.
 11. A desk according to claim 10wherein the easel is pivotally mounted on an upper edge of an outer sidepanel of the drawer, such that the panel closes the top of the drawerwhen closed, an outer side of the easel serving as a writing surfacewhen the easel is closed and the drawer is open.
 12. A desk according toclaim 10 wherein the easel in includes a rail at a lower inner side ofthe panel to support a work piece on the easel when the easel is open.13. A desk according to claim 10 wherein the easel is rearwardlyinclined when in the open position, with the pivotal movement of theeasel being limited by a movement control mechanism that prevents theeasel from pivoting outwardly past its open position.